McCaslin releases statement following passage of revised school siting bill

Rep. Bob McCaslin July 5, 2017

In a 78-15 vote early Saturday morning, a bill sponsored by Rep. Bob McCaslin to authorize new school construction outside of designated urban growth areas was approved by the state House. Earlier this year, McCaslin’s original school siting bill, House Bill 1017, was partially vetoed by Gov. Jay Inslee to only affect school districts in Pierce County.

The Spokane Valley lawmaker released the following statement after the vote on House Bill 2243

I am grateful for the tireless bipartisan work that has gone into ensuring overcrowded school districts across the state will no longer be burdened by a one-size-fits-all approach to growth. We did not give up on this effort, and the result is a strong, comprehensive solution that will enable school districts to better serve students, teachers and their local communities. This is the right policy for our state, and I could not be more pleased by the overwhelming support the bill received this morning.

House Bill 2243 includes the original fix proposed by McCaslin in House Bill 1017, while also adding accountability measures that will allow the state to track the progress of how many schools are being built and how many students are being served.

The bill now advances to the Senate, where it is expected to pass. The governor, after receiving input from stakeholders and legislators throughout the state, is expected to sign the measure into law.